Dump



Patented Aug. 2.5, 1924. l

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.,A

CHAR-LES BRUSTER ROABK, OF ELBERT, W'EST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 POSEY Gr. MGBBIDE, OF ELBERT, WEST VIRGINIA.

DUMP.

Application filed ITovember 20, 1922. Serial No. 602,100.

To @ZZ whom4 t may concern:

Be it known that l, CHAnLns B. Roanu, a citizen of the TUnited States, residing at Elbert, in the State of lNest Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bumps, of which the following is a specitication.

The present invention relates to a car dumping apparatus adapted for use with. mining operations, and embodies amongst other features. a normally inclined platform mounted for rotation on a longitudinally disposed axis, and equipped with means whereby two cars are frictionally held to the opposed sides of the platform, incident to the rotation thereof, the weight of the loaded car causing the platform, when released to turn upon its axis.

One of the principal objects of the invention resides in the provision of a pair of stops for checking the movement of the loaded car as it moves over the platform, holding` the car against longitudinal displacement; together with means for auto matically7 controlling the movement of said stops, so that the latter are retracted and projected at predetermined intervals necessary to the successful operation of the apparatus.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a novel construction of means for holding the platform normally inclined under thc weight of its load, and checking the movement of the platform at the completion of each half revolution.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a manually operable means for releasing the platform for the purpose stat-ed, as well as an automatic car actuated means for the Asame purpose, either of which means can be used independently of the other.

The nature and advantages of the-.invention will be better understood when the fol lowing detailed description is read in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the invention residing in the construction, combination and arrangement of parte as claimed.

In the drawings forming part of this application, like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, and wherein Figure l is a view, showing the platform in edge elevation, supporting the loaded car, and showing' an empty car suspended from the underside of the platform.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the platform and its associated parte.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on line of Figure l.

Figure Llis a sectional view taken on line Jr of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5%5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6 6 of Figure 2, showing the normal arrangement of the parts of the mechanism.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6, showing` the position of said parts just prior to the release of the pawl, which permits the stops to be projected to an active position.

The apparatus forming the subject matter of the present invention is as above stated adapted for use at mines or the like, where car loads of coal, ore, or other substance are adapted to be unloaded, and for this purpose moved upon a platform indicated at 10. The platform may be constructed from any suitable material, and may also vary in size without departing from the spirit of the invention, it being` provided with trunnions ll which project from the ends of the platform and jour'- naled in suitable bearings indicated at l2. The bearing is provided with a plurality of annular grooves 13, which receive lubricant, conveyed to the grooves 13 through an opening lll. The platform is normally arranged at an inclination as clearly illustrated in Figure 3, thereby offsetting the center of gravity, so that when the platform is released, the weight of the loaded car will be sufficient to invert the platform for the purpose of dumping or unloading the car as will be readily understood. It will be noted from an inspection of the drawings, that the opposite sides of the platform 10 are identical in construction, being equipped with means for frictionally holding a car thereto, and also provided with means for automatically controlling separate pairs of stops utilized to check the movements of the loaded cars as they move over the platform, and hold these cars against longitudinal displacement. The means for holding the cars to the platform in the manner illustrated in Figures l and 3, preferably consists of clamped bars 15, which are supported on the opposite sides of the platform and adjacent the longitudinal edges thereof by means of uprights 16, preferably forming an integral part of the bar, and which uprights Vare terminally offset as at 17 to accommodate fastening elements utilized in associating these bars with the platform. The flanges of the respective bars project-in- Wardly and are indicated at 18, these tianges being suitably spacedfrom the platform to repose upon the journal boxes of the car and thereby frictionally hold the car fixed relatively to the platform, Whether the car bc loaded and reposing upon the platform or unloaded and suspended from the platform as shown in Figure 3. Tt is of course manifest that the platform is provided with tracks 19 over which the Wheels of the car travel.

x The platform l0 is normally held stationary in the position shown in Figure 3, by means of spring pressed bolts v20 which cooperate with extensions 21 and 22 respectively which project from the opposed longitu dinal edges of the V.platform adjacent one end thereof, with the extension 22 occupying a plane beneath the extension 2l. Each of the spring pressed bolts is provided with a bevelled surface for a purpose to be presently described. The bolt 20 which cooperates with the extension 21 is connected with one Y branch of a bell crank lever 25, by means of a slot and pin connection indicated at 26, theY vand bringing the empty car B into the position now occupied by the loaded car in Figure 3. When the rod 28 is depresesd, the bolt 2O is retracted through the instrumentality of the bell crank lever 25, allowing the platform to turn upon .its pivots in the manner just described. The extension 2l at the completion of this half revolution of the platform contacts the bevelled surface 23 of the bolt atv the opposite side, at the same time, the extension 22 is brought into contact with the bolt'20 associated with the bell crank lever. This prevents rei-bounding of the platform, inasmuch as it checks the movement of the platform together' with its cars at the completion of each half revolution of' the same. After each car has been dumped, and subsequently brought to occupy a position upon the platform, it is engaged by the next loaded car. and moved from the platform, as the loaded. car continues its travel von the platform. ln this manner, it

form, for vertical movement in the recesses 28 and slots 29 respectively formed in the rails and the slot 30 formed in the platform as clearly shownA in Figure 5 of the drawings and these stops are adaptedV in their active positions to be retracted beneath the heads of the rails on said platform when in their inactive positions. It is essential that these stops be automatically controlled for a successful operation of the apparatus, and the invention provides means for automatically projecting and retracting the stops at predetermined intervals. This means embodies a bar 31, which is arranged adjacent one of the rails 19 and normally above the latter to be engaged by the Wheels of the car and depressed as the car passes over the track. The bar is maintained in the position just described by means of a. spring 32, Which has one terminal connected to the platform lOrand its other terminal connected to the adjacent end'of a link which supports the bar 3l. There are tivo of these links for thc purpose mentioned,V and indicated at 33 and 34., the links being pivoted. The link 33 is pivoted as at 35, While the link 3ll'is ,associated With a rock shaft indicated at 3G.

. Projecting from this shaft 36 is an arm 37,

Which is connected YWith the adjacent end of a rod 38, the other end of the rod being provided ivith a longitudinal slot 39, to receive the sliding head 40 of an arm lll. which has associated therewith a duplex paivl 4t2. The purpose of this pavvl will be hereinafter1 more fully described. and forms part of an escapementmechanism, which allows the empty'car to pass oft' the platform Without effecting the position of the stops 30 atthat particular time. Interposed between one endA of the slot 39 and the sliding head l0 is a cushion spring 43 Which permits of a slight independent movement of the arm 11 and the paWl 12 independently of the rod- 38.V The normal position of the paWl and arm are inf dicated in Figure 6, the parts being held in this position through the instrumentality of a spring 44;. It Will be noted upon inspection of Figure 6, that the offset extremities 45 and f6 of the paWl are separated from the teeth 47 and 18 of a spring pressed plunger 49, which slides through a fixed casing 5G. The plunger rod 19 is bevelled at one end as at 51, and is normally engaged by a roller 52. The stops 30 are associated by slot and pin connections 53 with the adjacent branches 54 of bell crank levers which are associated with a rock shaft 55, the other branch 56 of one of said levers being received by a notch 57 provided in the plunger 49, so that movement of the plunger under the influence of the spring 58 imparts movement to the rock shaft 55, which in turn actuates the stop 39 to either project them to their active positions or to retract them Vto their inactive po sitions.

As hereinabove pointed out this mechanism is duplicated at both sides of the platform 10, so that one of these mechanisms is actuated when a loaded car passes onto the platform l0.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

Assume that the parts are in the position illustrated in Figure 3, wherein the car B has been emptied and suspended from one side of the platform l0, while the loaded car A is supported upon the upper surface of the platform, both cars being held fixed relatively to the platform by the means above described. It is now desired to dump the car A, which only requires the release of the platform 10, effected by depressing the foot rod 28, whereupon the platform will be inverted under the weight of the load contained in the car A, thereby reversing the positions of the cars A and B shown in Figure 3. However, prior to the release of the platform 10, the stops 30 are arranged in the positions illust-rated in Figure 5, which stops engage the front wheels of the car A and are utilized to not only check the movement of the loaded car as it passes onto the platform, but also to hold it against longitudinal displacement. Again, the normal position of the parts constituting the escapemcnt mechanism is illustrated in Figure 6. Now, when the plateform is released, and initially starts to turn upon its axis, the plunger rod 49 moves over the roller 52 causes the plunger to be retracted into the active extremity 45 of the pawl 42, engaging the tooth 47 of the plunger rod, to hold the rod retracted against the tension of the spring 5S. As the plunger rod is retracted in the manner just stated, it imparts movement to the rock shaft 55, as this shaft is connected with the plunger through one Ibranch 56 of the bell crank lever carried by the shaft 55. The other branch 54 of the bell crank lever is connected with the stops 30, so that when the shaft is rotated in one direction, caused by the retraction of the plunger rod 49. the stops 30 are lowered beneath the heads of the rails 19. As above stated, this movement of parts takes place, just as soon as the platform starts to turn upon its pivots under the weight of the loaded car A. Consequently, whenl the empty car B occupies the position on the upper surface of the platform l0. the stops 30 are retracted. which allows this car' to be pushed oli" thel platform by the next loaded car, as the latter is brought into contact with the empty car as will be readily understood, r-is the empty car passes from the platform 10, the wheels of the rear truck thereof pass over and depress the bar 3.1., move the latter forwardly. and incidently turning the shaft 36 in the same direction.a T his shaft imparts movement to the rod 38, causing the rod to move in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 6, and by reason of the connection between this rod 38 and thc arm 4l, which carries the pawl 42, the pawl is actuated, causing it to assume the position shown in Figure 7, in which position, the active extremity 45 has been separated from the tooth 47 of the plunger 49, while the other active extremity 46 of the pawl is moved into contacting engagement with the tooth 48. This mechanism` which I term an escapement mechanism, manifestly permits the bar 3l to be depressed without effecting the positions occupied by the stops 30, inasmuch as the pawl 42 by engaging the tooth 48 of the plunger retains the latter in a retracted position. Now, the front wheels of the loaded car approaching the platform pass over the bar 31 before the rear wheels of the empty car leave said car, and the 'bar is thus held in a depressed condition until the loaded car about occupies its proper position upon the platform, at which time, it is to be checked by the stops 30. However, before the car occupies this position, the front wheels of the loaded car pass off the bar 3l. whereupon the spring 32 functions to return the pawl to its normal position, incident to which movement of the pawl, the plunger 49 is released so that the spring 58 projects said plunger to its normal position. Upon movementof the plunger in this direction, the shaft 55 is rotated by reason its connection with the plunger in themanner described, the direction of rotation of this shaft 55 lbeing such as to project the stops 30 above the heads of the rails 19, and directly in advance of the front wheels of the loaded car. The loaded car is then maintained in proper position upon the platform l0, until the latter is released, and the operation of the parts repeated.

As above stated l provide means for automatically releasing the platform, andthe means is clearly illustrated in Figure l. The means embodies a rod 60 arranged longitudinally of the platform and slidable in suitable guides 6l. This rod cooperates with a similarly disposed rod 62 slidable iu suitable guides 68. The adjacent ends of these rods are disposed in over-lapped relation, with the offset extremity 64 of the rod 60 normally contacting a shoulder 65 provided on the rod 62. A coil spring 66 surrounds the rod 60 and functions to normally hold the' offset extremity 64 against the shoulder ,65, in which position of the rod 60, the opposite endthereof contacts the adjacent end of the bolt 20. Surrounding the rod 62 is a spring 67 which operates t0 move the rod 62 toward the rod 60, and assists the spring 66 in holding the rods normally in position asY shown in Figure l. In thisV position of parts, the two rods 60 and 62 are moved in one direction as a unit to retract the bolts 20, and thereby release the platform, this operation takes place when the lever connected with the forward end of the rod 62 is arranged in the path of movement of the truc-lr ofthe loaded car, which when it contacts the Alever operates the automatic mechanism. The lever referred to is made up of two sections 68 and 69 respectively, the sections being pivoted in` a manner soy that the section 69 can be arranged in the position illustrated in Figu-re l, when it is desired to use the automatic mechanism. lVlien the section 69 is elevated occupying the position shown by dotted lines` in Figure 2, which in reality constitutes a continuation of the section 63 so that the section s operate as a. unit when the lever is engaged lb-y the truck of the yoar. The lever in its entirety is fulcrumed as at 70. The rear end of the rod 62 is inclined downwardly as at 7l so as to move beneath a pin 72 incident to the movement of the rod in a direction to release the platform. When the rod moves downwardly beneath said pin, which. moves against the influence. of a spring 73,v it not only assists the springs 66 and 67 in holding the rod in normal position, but also operates to return the rod to its normal position after it has been depressed.

In practice, if it is not desired to use the automatic mechanism, the section 69 of the operating lever is swung into a position substantially at a right angle to the section 68 in which position it is out of the way of the truck of the car so that the mechanism can not be actuated thereby. The foot, or manually operable mechanism above described is then utilized to release the .platform as the occasion requires. However, when use of the automatic mechanism is desired, the section 69 of the lever is swung upwardly to a position wherein it is arranged in the path of movement of the car. Now, as the car moves over the platform, the truck thereof strikes the lever moving it upon its pivot 7, whereupon the rods 60 and 62 are moved longitudinally of the platform as a unit against the bolt 20, causing the latter tomove away from the extension 21 and thereby releasing the platform for tilting movement. Incident to the movement of the rods in the manner just stated, the inclined portion 71 of the rod 62 passes beneath the nin 7 2, thereby depressing the rod 6.2 and marins the .Shoulder away from the adjacent extremity of the rod 6D. lvlanifestly, as this takes place, the rods are separated to allow the spring 66 to move the rod 62 in a reverse direction away from the bolt 2Oy thus permitting the latter to assume its normal position to be engaged by the extension 2l of the platform as it is brought to a position immediately above the bolt as herein. above set forth. The Y spring'73 which is tensioned incident tol the depression of the rod 62, then operates to return this` rod to its normal position.

lVhile it is believed that fromthe foregoing description the nature and advantages of the invent-ion will be readily apparent, I desire to have it understood that I do not limit myself to; what is herein shown and described, and that suoli changes may be resorted to when desired as fall within the scope of what is claimed.

Vilhat I claim is l. A car dumping apparatus comprising a normally inclined platform mounted for rotation, means carriedby'the opposite faces of the platform for supporting the car there-,-

on, means for holding the platform stationary, said car being lturiied onelialf revolution by the weight supported thereby, subsequent to the release of the platform, stops associated with the platform projecting the,l

movement of a loaded car as it passes upon the platform and holding the; car in its longitudinal displacement, saidV stops being susceptible of sliding movement, means for retracting the stops to an inactive position and operable incident tothe rot-ation ofthe platform, and-,means for projecting the stops to an activeposition just priorV to the proper positioning of a loaded car thereon'.

2; A car dumping ,apparatusl comprisingl active position as the platform is inverted. i

3. A car dumping apparatus comprising a normally inclined platform mounted for rotation, tracks on the opposite sides ofthe platform, means arranged adjacent the tracks for frictionally holding a car thereon, l

stops associated with the platform and mounted :for sliding movement, means for normally holding the platform stationary, said platform being inverted bythe weight Sil-Prassi newbie-salentina@ t@ ,the release of the platform, car actuated means for projecting the stops to an active posit-ion, and thereby check the movement of a loaded car as it passes upon the platform, means for retracting the stops to an inactive position incident to the rotation of the plat-form, escapement mechanism allowing the empty oar to pass off the platform Without effecting said stops, and said mechanism being actuated by the next car moving on said platform, to permit the stops to assume their active positions.

4. A car dumping apparatus comprisinga normally inclined platform mounted for rotation, means for holding a carfixed to the platform on each side; thereof, means for holding said platform stationary, said platform being inverted by the Weight supported thereby subsequent to the release of the platform, stops carried by the platform and mounted for sliding movement, whereby the stops can be projected to check the movement of a car passing over said platform, and retracted to permit the car to pass off the platform, means for retracting the stops as the platform is inverted, means for holding said stops retracted until the platform is again rotated, said means including a bar arranged adjacent the rail of the track and means operating when the bar is released to .v1-l

tion, means on the opposite sides of the platform for holding cars thereto, said platform being rotated by the Weight supported thereby, means for holding said platform stationary with cars on both sides thereof, and automatically operable car actuated means for releasing said platform for the purpose specied.

6. dumping apparatus comprisinga normally tilted platform mounted for rotation, means on the opposite sides of the platform for holding cars thereto, said platform being rotated by the Weight supported thereby, means for holding the platform stationary with cars on either or both sides manually operated means for releasing the platform, and automatic -means actuated by the cars for releasing said platforml and operable independently of the manually operated means.

ln testimony whereof l alli; mv signature.

CHARLES BRUSTER 'Ronnie 

